Healthy Communities

Encouraging healthy and active living by promoting neighborhoods and communities that support safe and healthy choices.

Chronic diseases – such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes – are among the leading causes of death and disability in Whatcom County. Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of chronic diseases.

Our Approach
 

Our Healthy Communities program focuses on supporting these three healthy habits to increase community well-being through environmental changes, healthy policies and community partnerships.

Health is determined by more than genetics, behaviors and luck.  Individual health is impacted by both lifestyle choices and environment.  Environments are a complex intermingling of family, social network, workplace and neighborhood – as well as the social and legal policies that guide the communities we live in. This complexity requires a comprehensive approach that can impact large segments of the population simultaneously to improve the health of all individuals.

“Healthy places are those designed and built to improve the quality of life for all people who live, work, worship, learn, and play within their borders -- where every person is free to make choices amid a variety of healthy, available, accessible, and affordable options.”

-Centers for Disease Control & Prevention